St Kilda return to Junction Oval back on table

St Kilda's return to the Junction Oval in a joint venture with cricket been put firmly back on the table by the Victorian government, which has pledged to back a $59 million redevelopment of the stadium and its surrounds.

In an announcement backed by Cricket Victoria and the AFL, Premier Denis Napthine will on Saturday promise to contribute $20 million to the project that had already attracted a pledge of $10 million from league chief Gillon McLachlan.

The project would create a permanent home for state cricket, forced to play some home Sheffield Shield games outside Victoria this season, and make way for an earlier AFL presence on the MCG from 2017.

While CV boss Tony Dodemaide was initially unwilling to join forces with the AFL, the extra government funding – Napthine has doubled his initial pledge – along with the support of Cricket Australia, has the AFL partnership gain momentum. Dodemaide told Fairfax Media on Friday that he would be happy to explore a co-tenancy with the AFL.

Dodemaide said he had been invited by the government to the funding announcement, but remained unaware of the full details of the Napthine commitment. "We look forward to any sort of commitment that will give us a resolution," he said, "and we look forward to assessing what it means for cricket."

As revealed by Fairfax Media in April, the multi-purpose venture would have the Saints move from the Linen House Centre in Seaford back to Fitzroy Street, training on the adjoining Ian Johnson Oval, with cricket using the Junction Oval ground. Napthine has vowed to find a new tenant for the Seaford training base, a venue never truly embraced by St Kilda.

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The summer and winter sports would share an elite training facility, with the Old Melburnians amateur football club relocating their home games to the second ground. The Old Melburnians have pledged to contribute $250,000 to the project.

The Junction Oval redevelopment has become a state election issue with local Labor member Martin Foley unwilling to back a shared-facility proposal.

Foley has variously blamed amateur football and the adjoining primary school for blocking the joint venture, but both parties appear supportive of the Saints' relocation.

Labor has also pledged to redevelop the ground but failed to unconditionally support the return of the Saints, while remaining open to the project and still in talks with McLachlan.

Labor leader Daniel Andrews recently pledged $25 million to redevelop the facility for cricket compared with a $70million pledge to Geelong's Kardinia Park.

The AFL has been working behind the scenes to win extra funding for the development, with league representatives holding talks in Canberra over recent months in a bid to win the support of the federal government.

While the Tony Abbott Government has yet to make a commitment to the venture, that has not been ruled out. Nor have contributions from the Melbourne Cricket Club along with local government. The joint venture has also won the support of the Port Phillip Council.

The government's $20million pledge – to be matched by the AFL and Cricket Victoria, which have promised $10million apiece – leaves a $1 million shortfall.

The Premier's announcement early on Saturday will be attended by Dodemaide and St Kilda chief Matt Finnis. On Friday the government staged a photo shoot with state cricketers and Saints players Sam Gilbert, Jack Steven and Tom Hickey.